Apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware



May 31, 1955 R. H. PASS 2,709,307

APPARATUS FOR DRYING ARTICLES OF POTTERY WARE Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l I I .J L I "I I IA' I I I I I I I j J I J L I n T F- 1 z r I I 'I' I I 1 I l I I l I I I I I I I L J L .J I I" W F I I I I I I l I L INVENTOR. j? .Z RIC/442D l7. p455 BY ,QW

May 31, 1955 R. H. PAss 2,709,307

APPARATUS FOR DRYING ARTICLES 0F POTTERY WARE Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. P/cmwo P455 3 N l WE May 31, 1955 R. H. PAss 2,709,307

APPARATUS FOR DRYING ARTICLES OF POTTERY WARE Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Shets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR. xQ/ch nqo hf .455 BY $.61.

iffafy May 31, 1955 R. H. PAss APPARATUS FOR DRYING ARTICLES OF POTTERY WARE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 27, 1952 INVENTOR. i/c/mea hf P455 United tates Patent O APPARATUS FOR DRYING ARTICLES OF POTTERY WARE Richard H. Pass, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Onondaga Pottery Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 27, 1952, Serial No. 311,848

6 Claims. (Cl. 34-105) This invention has to do with apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware, the apparatus being in general of that type disclosed in Patent No. 2,573,217, issued to C. H. Parmelee, October 30, 1951, wherein the articles of pottery ware are advanced by a conveyor through a cabinet and, while being advanced through the cabinet,

heated air is directed upon the articles to eifect drying of the moist clay.

This invention has as an object ware drying apparatus of the type referred to embodying a structure which functions to cause the heated air to be uniformly impinged against the entire surface of each piece of the ware, the air moving in a direction normal to the surface of the ware, whereby the drying of the pieces of ware is uniform through the entire area of the ware.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view, with parts broken away and parts in section, of a ware drying apparatus embodying my invention.

' Figure 2 is a view taken on line 2--2, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view taken on line 33, Figure l. Figure 4 is a view taken on line 44, Figure 1. Figure 5 is a view taken on line 55, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of one of the air flow directing units.

Figure 7 is an enlarged, sectional view taken on line 77, Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 8-8, Figure 7.

The apparatus consists, in general, of a series or plurality of closed cabinets, the bottom wall of each cabinet being formed with a plurality of apertures, each being of a dimension comparable to the piece of ware being dried. A plate is positioned over each aperture and is formed with a multiplicity of relatively small apertures, or holes. There are two or more tubular members positioned upon each of the plates, these members being arranged in concentric spaced relation and extending upwardly and terminating remote from the top wall of the cabinet. Heated air is supplied under pressure by ducts opening through opposite side walls of the cabinet in proximity to the bottom wall thereof. A conventional conveyor is mounted in the apparatus for intermittently advancing the pieces of ware in registration with the apertures in the bottom wall of the cabinet. The apertured plates and concentric tubular members form units for directing the flow of heated air downwardly in columns, and impinging the air on the upper surface of the pieces of ware normal thereto. These units serve to change the high velocity heated air flow moving transversely into the cabinets into static pressure and straightening out the downward air flow so that it is discharged, or im- 'ice pinged, uniformly on the ware normal to the surface or" the ware. Inasmuch as the structural arrangement of each cabinet is the same in the apparatus, the structure of one cabinet will be described herein.

The cabinets are formed of sheet metal and consist of a lower section 10, and an upper section 11. The lower section 10 is in the form of a tray which is posi tioned in and supported by a supporting frame, consisting of angle members 12 extending along opposite side walls of the lower section, and similar members 13 extending along opposite end walls of the cabinet, and a T- shaped member 14 located centrally of the cabinet and being secured at its ends to the members 12. The bottom wall 15 of the lower section is bent upwardly to form vertical flanges 16 on opposite sides of the vertical leg of the member 14, see Figure 2. The upper edges of the flanges 16 are enclosed by a U-shaped strip or clip 17.

The side members 12 of the cabinet supporting frame have their horizontal portions overlapping angular supporting brackets 18 which are secured to vertically extending columns in the form of channel members 20. The angle members 12 are formed in their horizontal portions with apertures to slidably receive guide pins 22 fixedly mounted in the horizontal portion of the members 18, as by nuts 23, see Figure 4. The horizontal portions of the members 12 are also provided with threaded apertures to receive cap screws 25, the lower ends of which engage the supporting brackets 18. With this arrangement, the cabinets may be adjusted vertically by manipulation of the screws 25, moving the bottom wall 15 toward and from the pieces of ware being advanced on the ware conveyor.

The pieces of ware 30, positioned on moulds 31, are advanced to the right, Figure 1, below the bottom wall 15 of the cabinet by a conveyor which may consist of a chain 32 extending on opposite sides of the cabinet below the cabinet supporting members 12, 18. Moulds 31 are positioned on carriers 34 extending transversely of the cabinets and being supported at their ends by pendant members 36 secured at intervals along the chain 32.

Usually the apparatus consists of a plurality of cabinets, the supporting brackets 18 extending lengthwise of the machine, and suitable sprockets being mounted on the framework to support the conveyor chains 32, as is conventional in ware drying apparatus.

The cabinets are of rectangular form and the bottom wall 15 is formed with a multiplicity of apertures 38. These apertures are of a dimension comparable to the diameter of the pieces of ware 30 and are arranged in rows extending transversely of the cabinet. As shown in Figure 1, there are four rows of these apertures, and there are six apertures in a row, corresponding to the six pieces of ware carried by each of the ware carriers 34 on the conveyor.

The upper section 11 of the cabinet is attached to the lower secton 10 by an S shaped member 40. Over each of the apertures 38 there is positioned a plate 41 formed with a plurality of circular series of apertures 42. Posi' tioned on each of the plates 41 are a plurality of vertically extending tubular members. In the structure illustrated, there is an outer tubular member 43, and an inner member 44. These members are arranged in concentric relation and so maintained by clip members 45, see Figure 8, positioned on rods 46 extending diametrically through the members 43, 44, the ends of the rods being bent downwardly to maintain them in place. There is a rod 46 positioned in proximity to the lower end of the tubular members 43, 44, and a rod positioned in proximity to the upper end of the tubular members, one of the rods extending perpendicular to the other. The tubular members 43, 44, terminate a substantial distance below the upper or top wall 47 of the cabinet. Preferably, the tubular members extend upwardly from the bottom wall 35 a distance equal to at least four times their diameter.

The opposite side walls 48 of the upper portion of the cabinet are apertured, as at 49, and ducts 50 are secured to the side walls 43 in registration with the apertures 49 and are connected to supply ducts 52 extending lengthwise of the machine and through which heated air at relatively high velocity is supplied. This air moves through the apertures 49 and travels transversely of the cabinet, passing around the tubular members and rising to the upper portion of the cabinet. The larger area within the cabinet effects a change of air from high velocity to static pressure and the accumulated heated air in the upper portion of the cabinet moves downwardly through the tubular members 43, 44. These members serve to cause the air to flow in straight paths, or columns, and to be accordingly directed through the apertures 42 in plates 41, directly on the upper surfaces of the pieces of were 36, the impingement being normal to the pieces of ware.

Angle members 54 are secured to the lower ends of the tubular members 43, as by screws 55, and these members are attached to the plates 41, and the plates 41 to the bottom wall 15 of the cabinet by screws 56, the tubular members .3, 44, being positioned in registration with the apertured portion of the plate 41 and with the aperture 33 in the bottom wall 15.

With this arrangement, the high velocity heated air entering through the apertures 49 in the side wall cabinet is broken up and distributed through the cabinet to establish an accumulation of air in the upper portion of the cabinet and under static pressure. The heated air then descends through the tubular members 43, 44, and during its descent all eddy currents, or cross currents, are straightened out so that the air moves downwardly in a straight flow and so passes through the apertures 42 in the plates 41. This effects uniform movement of the air against the upper surfaces of the pieces of were whereby the drying is uniform throughout the pieces of ware.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware comprising a closed cabinet having top, bottom and side walls, said bottom wall being formed with a plurality of groups of apertures, a ware conveyor operable to position a piece of ware under and in registration with each group of apertures, a plurality of open-ended concentrically arranged tubular members positioned on said bottom wall in registration with each group of apertures, said tubular members extending vertically upwardly toward the top wall of the cabinet and terminating short thereof, and means operable to maintain heated air under pressure in the upper portion of the cabinet.

2. Apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware comprising a closed cabinet having top, bottom and side walls, said bottom wall being formed with a plurality of groups of apertures, a ware conveyor operable to position a piece of ware under and in registration with each group of apertures in said bottom wall, a plurality of open-ended concentrically arranged tubular members positioned on said bottom wall in registration with each group of apertures, said tubular members extending upwardly from the bottom wall a distance equal to at least four times the diameter of said members, and means operable to maintain a supply of heated air under pressure in the upper portion of the cabinet.

3. Apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware comprising a closed cabinet having top, bottom and side walls, said bottom wall being formed with a plurality of groups of apertures, the apertures of each group being arranged in a plurality of concentric circular series, a ware conveyor operable to position a piece of ware below and in registration with each group of apertures, a plurality of open ended tubular members positioned on said bottom wall in registration with each group of apertures, means operable to maintain said tubular members in concentric relation, said members extending vertically upwardly toward the top wall of the cabinet and terminating short thereof, an opening formed in the side wall of the cabinet, and means for supplying hot air under pressure to said side wall opening.

4. Apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware comprising a closed cabinet having top, bottom and side walls, said bottom wall being formed with a plurality of apertures, a ware conveyor operable to position a piece of Ware below and in registration with each of said apertures, a plurality of open ended concentrically arranged tubular members positioned on said bottom wall in registration with each aperture, said members being of uniform cylindrical dimension throughout their length and extending upwardly from the bottom wall and terminating remote from the top wall of the cabinet, and means operable to maintain a supply of heated air under pressure in the upper portion of said cabinet.

5. Apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware comprising a cabinet having top, bottom and side walls, said bottom walls being formed with a plurality of openings, a conveyor operable to position a plurality of pieces of ware below the bottom wall and in registration with said openings respectively, a plate overlying each opening and being formed with a plurality of apertures, concentrically arranged tubular members positioned on each of said plates, said members extending vertically upwardly from said plate and terminating remote from the top wall of the cabinet, and means for supplying hot air under pressure to the upper portion of the cabinet.

6. Apparatus for drying articles of pottery ware comprising a closed cabinet having top, bottom and side walls, the bottom wall of the cabinet being formed with a plurality of groups of apertures, a conveyor operable to position a piece of ware under and in registration with each group of apertures, concentrically arranged open ended tubular members positioned on said bottom wall in registration with each group of apertures, said tubular members extending vertically upwardly from said bottom wall and terminating remote from the top wall of the cabinet, an opening formed in the side wall of the cabinet in proximity to the bottom wall thereof, and means for supplying hot air under pressure to said side wall opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,569,191 Lathrop et al. Jan. 12, 1926 1,873,002 McClatchie Aug. 23, 1932 2,556,096 Maddock June 5, 1951 2,558,338 Clements June 26, 1951 2,573,217 Parmelee Oct. 30, 1951 

